Although Des had been to Adelaide in the past – work related visits to city offices – we really had no understanding of the city and its surrounds. Looking at a map of the area around Adelaide does not help – there are roads going everywhere but we could not see a thread. Our days here allowed us the time to get to understand Adelaide and its surrounds. The city is quite lovely with its heritage buildings, its parks and gardens, and the south side beaches – the ones we spent some time in – were excellent. We found beautiful homes around Glenelg. And we can now also see how the wine regions fit together. Despite the weather we had a great time in the area and would certainly like to return.
We were at Adelaide (South Brighton) on 04 – 09 April 2019. This post covers our time in Adelaide itself and around the southern beaches. Part 2 covers our trips to the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale – click here.
Kerry’s snippets in fuchsia
Getting There
Emu Bay (KI) > Penneshaw (KI) > Jervis Bay > Victor Harbor > South Brighton ~ 199kms.
History
The Adelaide Plains are the traditional lands of the Kaurna First Nations people, stretching from Port Broughton down to Cape Jervis. Kaurna actively managed the land and lived off the land and waterways of the region. The First Nations Australians called this area Tandanya, which means the Place of the Red Kangaroo.
The Kaurna people were a hunter-gatherer society, who changed their dwellings according to climatic conditions. In summer they would camp near the coastal springs fishing for mulloway. With the onset of winter, they would retire to the woodlands, often using hollowed out fallen redgums along creeks, with bark extensions as shelters. Sudden downpours could quench their fires, the maintaining of which was old women’s work.
Kaurna culture and language were almost completely destroyed within a few decades of the British colonisation of South Australia in 1836. However, extensive documentation by early missionaries and other researchers has enabled a modern revival of both language and culture. The SA Museum is home to a major collection of First Nations artefacts. The collection is the largest of its type in the world, with around 30,000 items collected across Australia since 1890. Today the collection is curated in partnership with First Nations people and communities.
In the early 1830s the British drew up plans to settle the area. It was planned the new colony in South Australia would be of free people not convicts. Surveyor-general William Light selected the site for the capital of the colony in December 1836. Adelaide was a planned city and it was named after the wife of King George IV.
The first governor of the new colony was Captain John Hindmarsh who landed in December 1838. At first the settlers were British or Irish, but in the mid-19th century many Germans settled in Adelaide and the surrounding areas. In 1840, Adelaide was incorporated (given a corporation), making it the first city in Australia to be incorporated. Also in 1840 the Royal Adelaide Hospital was founded. By then Adelaide had a population of over 2,000. By 1850 Adelaide the population was over 14,000.
Many famous buildings were erected in the 19th century. The foundation stone of Holy Trinity Church was laid in 1838. Old Adelaide Gaol was built in 1841. (It was decommissioned in 1988). Government House was completed in 1855 and St Francis Xavier Cathedral was dedicated in 1858. Ayers House was built in 1846, and from 1855 to 1897 it was the home of Henry Ayers. The Town Hall was built in 1866 and the General Post Office was opened in May 1872. The Post Office did not get its clock until 1875. In 1878 St Peter’s Cathedral was consecrated, and Edmund Wright House was built.
By 1900 the population of Adelaide was 162,000 and growing rapidly. As Adelaide expanded more buildings were added. Parliament House was built in two parts – the West Wing in 1889 and the East Wing in 1939.
Meanwhile amenities in Adelaide improved. The Botanic Gardens opened in 1857. Adelaide gained a gas supply in 1863 and an electricity supply in 1900. Adelaide Oval was established in 1871, and the University was founded in 1874. The Art Gallery of South Australia was established in 1881.
Adelaide airport dates from 1921, the War Memorial from 1931, and Flinders University opened in 1966.
Today Adelaide is a thriving city, which had a population of about 1.3 million in 2016.
Day 1 – Thu 04 Apr – To and at South Brighton
We left our AirBnB in Emu Bay, Kangaroo Island, just before 7.00am – we had to be at the ferry by 8.00 to check in and load, for an 8.30 departure. It was still dark as we left and we took it easy just in case of kangaroos on the road – we saw 2 but they scampered off. We will be glad when daylight saving ends the next weekend.
It was an easy run to Penneshaw. As the light increased we were passing the waterways we had seen on the way in, and the lovely tunnel of trees.
It was a smaller ferry and most vehicles backed in. We had got onto the back of a line so as to avoid getting blocked in by the trucks. However, although that ploy did not quite work The Cruiser was in the last row of normal vehicles with just the trucks in front of us – we got a quick exit. On this ferry the cargo area was not covered and we got a good view of a truck full of live sheep, with its distinctive odour not able to be masked by the salt air. I went up on deck to see the open cargo area and was quite distressed to see one poor sheep lying down with others stepping on her. She looked very fat – hopefully she was OK and not too badly hurt.
We got back to the Victor Harbor van park about 10.00 and finished packing Mobi. Most of this had been done before we went to Kangaroo Island, so it was not long before we were away. It was a pleasant drive towards Adelaide, such pretty country. As we approached the city we got some good views of the coast.
The drive into the caravan park off Brighton Rd was a bit tricky – like driving through a maze, including some very tight roundabouts. We later realised that the train runs through this area so you have to find the roads with crossings.
The Brighton Caravan Park is right on the beach and we have a grass site with lots of space, very close to the amenities block. It’s an excellent park – great facilities with just a walking/cycling track between us and the beach. We got both Optus (our 4G modem plus my phone) and Telstra (Kerry’s phone). But this park does not come cheap – the cost is $48.33pn with our mid-week NRMA discount. Apparently we have a premium large site. There are only 2 washing machines and 2 dryers in the laundry which cause a few queuing problems.
After setting up, we headed south to explore the beaches to the south of us. We had planned planned to do this but had also seen that there was very cheap fuel down that way. Getting to the beaches is not easy and the train line blocks access, and the beaches turn into high cliffs. First we were at Marino, where the beach is almost completely rocks and stones, and you look down from the top of mid height cliffs. There are higher cliffs further south. The 3rd photo is looking to our van park at South Brighton.
Hallett Cove was the next beach we got to. This was another stony beach with headlands at either end. A nice recreation area but where do you swim?
From there we went to fill up at the Mobil service station. The price was an amazing $1.339/L, 20c less than up Brighton way. We put in 110L so it was a good saving. From there we went over to have a look at Seaford Beach. There is sand on this beach and great views from the top of the cliffs.
Next was Port Noarlunga South, where the Onkaparinga River makes it to the sea. A very pretty place. On the south side there is a protected pool in the sand with children playing. Across the river is a sandy spit with cliffs and houses as a backdrop.
We drove down to the River and crossed over it before getting to Port Noarlunga.
The red sandstone beach cliffs, and the long jetty to the edge of the reef, make Port Noarlunga one of the iconic diving destinations in the state. The off-shore Port Noarlunga Reef and aquatic reserve forms part of the Encounter Marine Park – a divers and snorkelers paradise, and also viewable from the end of the jetty. Fabulous spot, but far too cold for us to snorkel. Not to mention that we left our snorkels and gear in Sydney. What a gorgeous protected spot for a swim or dive though.
We did some shopping including a B12 injection for me – I need this every 6 months or so but had forgotten to bring the phials I had with us. I could tell I needed a jab.
Back at the van park we walked across to the beach next to us (Kingston Park). Nice sandy beach, although there are rock platforms to the southern end. Got a lovely sunset as well. Haven’t found any rubbish on the beaches today.
Day 2 – Fri 05 Apr – To Adelaide City
It was a lovely warm day, a rarity on this trip. We drove to the medical clinic at Brighton to see if I could get the injection. Not possible until later in the afternoon, we were told, so I made an appointment for 4:30.
We left The Cruiser at Brighton Station and got the train in to the city. We could have got tickets on the train – much better than Sydney trains – but we decided to get tickets at Adelaide Station as we were unsure how things worked. However, there are no ticket vendors on the arrivals side of the station and the man we spoke to give us a tongue in cheek chiding, and told us to make sure we got a ticket for our return journey, pointing out the ticket office. I had read somewhere that “seniors” get free travel after 9 and before 3 and again later on.
The Station is a lovely building – a beautiful ceiling.
The old Parliament House is nearby. The Parliament of South Australia began in 1857, when the colony was granted self-government. The new PH, a very imposing structure completed in 1939, sits next to the Old.
We walked to the River Torrens near the Adelaide Oval. The rotunda is stunning. We did the compulsory poses at the Donald Bradman memorial.
Given the heat we did not try to get into the Oval to see the reputed grandstands, nor walked down to St Peters Cathedral – although we did get close enough for a photo.
It was a nice walk through Kirrawirra Park along the riverside. We crossed over the river on a lovely bridge to get to the historic Botanical Gardens, which opened in 1857. We saw the large Botanic Gardens sign and walked the track behind that, which took us to a locked gate with signs directing us to gates about 200m away. We eventually got in and had a good couple of hours wandering through the gardens.
We really loved the Palm, or Tropical, House. This is a Victorian-era glasshouse designed by the German architect Gustav Runge and imported from Bremen in 1875. Originally housing tropical flora, due to corrosion problems, since the early 1990s it has held a collection of Malagasy arid flora. The central pond was devoted to Victoria Amazonica, an amazing species. These are massive lily pads.
Read about the hot action that takes place each evening with the scarab beetles.
We wandered around to the rose garden passing a lovely rotunda, the bicentennial conservatory and the historical Goodman Building. The rose garden is not at its best on this April day, but there are still many flowers and the aroma is awesome.
Opposite the Gardens are some magnificent old pubs and the wonderful Botanic Chambers (1877).
We turned into Rundle St – what a great pub there is on the corner – and headed westwards to the Mall. There are some lovely buildings on the way.
Kerry was keen to walk the Adelaide Arcade. This is very much like Sydney’s Imperial Arcade – gorgeous tessellated tiles on the floor with traditional shop fronts (2 of which are chocolate shops).
And then we came to the Malls Balls, and the pigs – wonderful little creatures that they are. I imagine the pigs could be a bit of a hazard if you were one sheet to the wind though.
Dotted along the buildings of the Mall are red figures – intriguing.
Then we got to Beehive Corner – but it took a local man waiting next to us at traffic lights to point it out to us. The Beehive Corner is a landmark in the Adelaide city centre. The name gained currency from “The Beehive”, a draper’s shop opened by Brewer and Robertson from October 1849. It had been a well-known landmark for fifty years in 1895, when what is essentially the present Beehive Buildings were built. An ornamental turret was corbelled out, surmounted by a gilded beehive and bee, and on the shaft of the turret the words ‘Beehive Corner 1895”. Marvellous that it is still there. Wouldn’t be still there if it was in Sydney – developers would have torn it down long ago.
We had noticed the strange colour of the sky during the day and I had assumed there was a big dust storm around. The photo above in particular shows this – the sky was PINK. It got worse and worse during the afternoon.
After lunch we went back to Adelaide train station and bought our tickets. I went into the information office to buy the tickets. Explained that we were seniors. As soon as I showed my seniors card, the man gave us 2 free tickets – valid for 2 weeks. Way to go!!! We got the train to Brighton. Later I went back to Brighton (Medical Centre) to get my B12 injection – no problem.
The colour of the sunset was amazing over the ocean – as the dust had also headed out to sea. Can’t find a photo though.
Day 3 – Sat 06 Apr – To Adelaide Hills
This is covered in Part 2 – click here
Day 4 – Sun 07 Apr – Brighton
It was cold and windy – the awning had to be taken in again. We had a rest day – washed the sheets and everything else, caught up with the blogs. Mid morning we got out the scooters and went up towards Brighton. There was a Thai celebration at a park wth all manner of lovely looking Thai food. But we had left wallets at home.
In the evening we went out to Glenelg for Kerry’s birthday. It was a really good evening. Des asked me to order a Uber and gave me the address. Had a lovely dinner at Cardone’s. Lovely spot and it was so nice to put a dress and stilettos on again.
Day 5 – Mon 08 Apr – Brighton to Glenelg
A very windy and cold day. A few showers in the afternoon. We spent a few hours working our way up the beaches to Glenelg. We started at Brighton, and made our way to the Jetty. The first Brighton Jetty was built in 1886 and weathered the sea and storms for over 100 years. The Brighton jetty was badly damaged by winter storms in the 1994. It was rebuilt using funds supplied by a mobile phone service provider, hence the tower on the end of the jetty.
It is a lovely sandy beach and we had a good walk along the shorefront, with its very solid protection wall along the way. No rubbish was found. We also walked up Jetty Rd, past all the cafes that were literally full of people eating and drinking at 10:00am. The place was packed.
We drove along the beaches towards Glenelg and as we got close to there we started to see some amazing homes. So we stopped in one street and walked around the area. Such beautiful old homes still in prime condition. We would love to have a look around some of them.
We parked near Jetty Rd and walked to the jetty, and what a checkered history this has had. The first Glenelg Jetty was 381 metres long with a T-head and wooden lighthouse. This section was destroyed by fire in 1873. In 1906 a three-storey pavilion was added at the end of the jetty and railway tracks were laid along its length to service coastal shipping. An aquarium was built in 1929, showcasing fish, sea lions and sharks. In 1948 a major storm swept through Holdfast Bay, destroying the jetty and leaving just the pavilion and aquarium, they were later removed. In 1969 the current, much shorter, jetty was constructed.
Along the foreshore there are 2 or 3 magnificent old homes or hotels. Nice to see them still standing. The Town Hall is an amazing building.
The Jetty area is quite busy – guess it nearly always is.
We walked up Jetty Rd, again amazed at how many people were out and about eating and drinking. We saw a few more wonderful buildings, especially Alexandra Terrace, built in 1878 and now a backpackers. 2nd photo down. Its almost criminal that this has been given over to backpackers accommodation – should be a museum.
The relentless wind and some showers sent us scurrying back to the van park. Later I saw some kite surfers out on the bay and got a couple of photos. Rather them than me in that weather.
Day 6 – Tue 09 Apr – McLaren Vale
The story of the day is covered in Part 2 – click here.
As we approached the caravan park that afternoon after a great day in teh hinterland, we stopped to look at the heritage home of Marino, which sits in a park overlooking the ocean. It was originally an inn, and later became the home of the Kingston family. Built in 1840, Kingston House, or Marino, is one of South Australia’s oldest remaining houses. It is still being used today, set in a small park, and we had seen that it is a popular place on weekends.
To see photos from this post, click here
To read Part 2 of our time in Adelaide (the Adelaide Hills & McLaren Vale), click here